Precision locating device



y 6, 1953 H. E. BALSIGER 2,639,562

PRECISION LOCATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORHanan. E. BfiLS/GER fiTTORNEY y 6, 1953 H. E. BALSIGER 2,639,562

PRECISION LOCATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedMay 26, 1953 PRECISION LOCATING DEVICE Harold E. Balsiger, Waynesboro,Pa., assignor to Landis Tool Company, Waynesboro, Pa.

Application February 9, 1950, Serial No. 143,326

9 Claims.

'This invention relates to apparatus for use in connection with grindingor machining of cylindrical portions of a work piece between flanges,cheeks, shoulders or other portions of greater di ameter adjoining thesurface to be machined.

More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for relativelypositioning successive portion of a work piece and a cutting tool whenthe machining must be done simultaneously on the spaced shoulders orflanges as well as the cylindrical surface. This requires that theportion to be ground or machined and the tool must be accuratelycentered relative to one another so that the tool will remove anapproximately equal amount of stock from each shoulder. When socentered, each portion will be accurately positioned with relation toother similar portions'on the same work piece.

When a rough cast or forged crankshaft is turned or milled, the spacingbetween bearing surfaces is not held to close limits. When it is placedin a crankpin grinder having a spacing bar and plunger, the spacing ofthe pin bearings usually does not agree exactly with the notches on saidspacing bar and a relative axial adjustment must be made between thework and the grinding wheel so that the grinding wheel will grindequally on each shoulder.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide means foreffecting relative axial positioning between the tool and the flanges orshoulders of a work piece.

It is a further object to provide a preliminary and approximatepositioning operationsupplemented by a more exact positioning operation.

A further object is to locate successively a series of portitons on awork piece in operative rela tion to a cutting tool. v

The drawings show a diagrammatic arrangement of a work piece in the formof a crankshaft having a plurality of spaced portions to be ground, aswell as hydraulic and electrical systems for causing a locating movementbetween the work and the tool, and the apparatus for accurately locatingsaid parts after each indexing operation.

Figure 1 is a combined hydraulic and electrical diagram. V l v Figure 2is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the invention appliedto the grinding wheel instead of the work carriage.

' Numeral i indicates a crankshaft mounted on footstock center It and.headstock center I2 for grinding the main bearings l3, l4 and I5. Thecrank could just as well be mounted in eccentric clamping fixtures whichare well-known in the art for grinding the crankpins. The locatingapparatus would function in the same manner to locate the crankpinrelative to grinding wheel Iii as it does to locate the main bearings.

Crank Iii and centers I! and I2 are mounted on carriage 2G in a mannerwell-known in the 'art but not disclosed in the drawings. 1

Carriage 20 may be moved endwise by means of a piston 2| and cylinder 22connected bypis ton rod 23 to a portion 24 in the lower side of saidcarriage. Fluid under pressure is supplied alternately to opposite endsof cylinder 22 by means of areve'rsing valve 25. Said valve may beactuated automatically'in a manner such as disclosed in Patents2,105,841 and 2,323,189. However, for the purpose of illustration, thelever. 26 is sui-Iicient. I

Fluid under pressure is supplied to valve 25 by pump 38. through line3|. A relief valve 32 connected to the outlet of said pump serves toregu-' late the pressure in the hydraulic system. The above mentionedpatents also show automatic means for indexing-a work carriage. It issufii cient for our purpose to show spacing bar 35 adjustably mounted oncarriage 20 by means of screws 35 in longitudinal slots 3! in saidspacing bar.

on the lower side of said spacing bar is a plu-' rality of" notches 38spaced to correspond to the spacing of the portions to be ground on thework piece. Apl'unger 39; in the form of a piston rod having a piston Mlattached thereto and oper-' able'in acylinder 4| is held'in engagementwith the spacing bar 35 by means of a spring 42. Said plunger may bewithdrawn from said spacing bar by fluid under pressure directed throughline 43 from valveM.

Said fluid under pressure is supplied to said valve fromeline 3] throughline 45. In the drawing, valve 44 is in apos'ition'to" direct fluid frompiston 40 through line 43 to exhaust passage 41. Valve 44 is held'inthis position by spring 48. Saidvalve may be moved by lever 49 toconnect pressure line 45' with line 43.

f'he means for determining the relative axial positions of the grindingwheel l5 and the spaced flanges or cheeks of the portion to be groundconsists of a-pair ofnozzles 6i and 52 which are directed against eachof said cheeks. Said nozales rnay'he supported for movement into and outof operative position in any suitable manner, for example, means similarto that disclosed in copending application 129,422, filed November 25,1949, now Patent No. 2,559,431 datedJul'y 3, 1951.

"Air under moderate pressure issupp'lied to said nozzles from anysuitable source through lines I II and. I 22 respectively. Inserted ineach of said lines is a device I01 or I 08, sometimes known as aventuri. The structure and function of this device is disclosed more indetail in Patent 2,061,447, granted May 1 1935.

Connected to each of said devices are manometer tubes I05 and I 06, eachhaving a body of mercury therein. Vertically spaced electrical contactsIII and H2 in tube I06, and contacts I I and I I4 in tube I05 serve tocomplete an electrical circuit when the pressure on the mercury is suchas to raise the column in the portion of the tube in which the contactsare located. Said contacts are in circuit with relays H5 and H6, whichin turn complete circuits to solenoids I I1 and H8. Said solenoids areattached to opposite ends of reversing valve 25. Said valve directsfluid under pressure from pump 30 and line 3| alternately through lines50 and 54 to opposite ends of cylinder 22.

It should be understood that the nozzles Ii I and 82 on the mercuryswitches in manometer tubes I05 and I26 are used primarily forillustrative purposes. Obviously, micro-switches such as those shown inco-pending application 129,422 could be mounted in place of nozzles GIand 62 and perform the same function.

Figure 2 discloses an alternate form of my invention. In this case theprecision adjusting movement is applied to the grinding wheel ratherthan to the work carriage. Grinding wheel I6 is rotatably supported inwheelbase I00 on a spindle IBI. Said spindle is rotatably mounted insuitable bearings in said wheelbase. A slight amount of endwise movementis provided so that said spindle and grinding wheel may be adjustedaxially relative to the work piece.

The structure of this form of my invention is similar to that disclosedin co-pending application Serial No. 129,422, filed November 25, 1949.The details of the structure are described in the copending application,and the description will not be repeated herein except insofar as it isessential to the explanation of this invention.

Nozzles SI and 62 are mounted on a bracket 2 I0 which has a yoke portionhaving spaced members 2 and 2I2 secured to a sleeve I66. Said sleeve isrotatably mounted in a bearing in bracket I81 attached to wheelbase I60.The other end of said sleeve, which is not shown here, is mounted in asimilar bearing, Thus, the bracket 2 I 0 may beswung about sleeve I66 tomove the nozzles III and 62 toward or away from operative position. Hereagain, micro-switches may be substituted for the nozzles 6| and 62.

A shaft I65 passes through sleeve I66 and has mounted at the left-handend thereof a bracket I62 which engages the rotatable portion of thewheel mounting in any suitable manner for the purpose of efiecting aslight endwise movement thereof. The other end of said shaft forms apiston rod for piston I2l in cylinder I22.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to said cylinder from pump I30, line'I3I, and valve I25 through either of the lines I50 or I51. Constantpressure is maintained on said fluid :by relief valve I32. Valve I25 maybe s'hi'fted'ma'nually by means of'a lever I25 or by one or the other ofsolenoids I I1 and I18. Said valve is normally held in central positionby means of springs I52 and I53.

Operation For the purpose of illustration, we have used as a workpiece,crankshaft I0 mounted on centers II and 12 for grinding m'ain bearingsI3, I4

and III. The locating device would work just as well if said crank wasmounted eccentrically for grinding the crankpins.

Assuming that main bearing l3 has been ground, the operator shifts lever49 to the left to supply fluid under pressure from line 45 to line 43,and the plunger end of cylinder 4| to shift piston 40 and plunger 39downwardly against spring 42. Plunger 39 is thus withdrawn from notch38a. Lever 26 is shifted to the left and valve to the right to connectline 3| through line 50 to the head end of cylinder 22. As soon ascarriage 20 begins to move, lever 40 may be released and valve 44 willbe moved to the left by spring 48 to a position to connect line 43 withexhaust line 41. Spring 42 will then raise piston 40 and plunger 39 intoengagement with spacing bar so that, as soon as notch 38b moves intoposition, plunger 39 will enter said notch and stop the carriage 20 inapproximate position to grind bearing I4. When the carriage 20 istraversing from right to left and the plunger 33 drops into notch 38,the movement of carriage 20 causes the right-hand side of said notch toengage said plunger. When the carriage is moving from left to right, themovement is such that the left-hand side of each notch engages theplunger .39.

As soon as the carriage 20 stops, the operator may release lever 26; andvalve 25 will be returned to neutral position by spring 52. A similarspring 53 will move said valve to neutral position from the opositedirection.

When carriage 20 comes to rest, nozzles BI and G2 are moved intooperative relation to the spaced cheeks of the workpiece. When thecarriage 20 is traversing from right to left, nozzle 6| is closer to thecorresponding cheek than nozzle 62, since the carriage is stopped by theright side of notch 38 engaging plunger 39. The flow of air from saidnozzle will thus be restricted and pressure will be built up in tube I06so that the mercury column will rise and complete a circuit throughcontacts III and I12 to energize relay H5.

Said relay will close a circuit to solenoid H1 and shift valve 25 to theleft against spring 53. In this position, said valve will direct fluidfrom line 3| through line 54 to the left end of cylinder. 22 to movepiston H and carriage 20 to the right. This movement will result inincreasing the space between nozzle 6i and the corresponding cheek. thusreducing the pressure in the manometer tube I06 so that the mercurycolumn drops, opening the circuit between contacts III and H2 anddeenergizing solenoid II'I. Spring 53 will then shift valve 25 back toneutral position and stop the movement of carriage 20 with the cheeks ofthe work piece in substantially exact alignment with the grinding wheel.

When carriage 20 is moving from left to right, nozzle 62 will be closerto the corresponding cheek than nozzle GI since the carriage is stoppedby the left side of the notch engaging plunger 38. In this case,manometer tube I05. relay H6 and solenoid I I8 would function in thesame manner as the corresponding elements associated with nozzle GI toadjust the carriage 20 in a direction from right to left until the workpiece is properly located, at which time the carriage would be stopped.

In actual practice, the carriage is usually traversed in only onedirection for grinding; and thus the out of line condition between thework and the grinding wheel is always in the same direcin'on. Under suchcircumstances, only one nozzle along with manometer tube, relay andsole-' noid is necessary. However, the use of oppositely: directednozzles is desirable for two reasons::

First, in making the final adjustment, there is a chance that thecarriage might movetoo far in the direction of adjustment, in which casethe opposite nozzle would function and the carriage would be reversed tothe desired-position. Secondly, for some typesof work, it might bedesirable to perform successive grinding operations, beginning at eitherend of the work piece, in which case one nozzle would function duringmovement in one direction and the other nozzle would function duringmovement in the opposite direction.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, when carriage 2i! andwork piece III are moved to position bearing I4 relative to the grindingwheel I6, approximate location is effected when plunger 39 drops intonotch 36. If the carriage is moving from right to left, the right-handside of the notch will be closer to plunger 39 than the left-hand sideof said-notch. Also, when nozzles GI and 62 are swung into operativeposition, the right-hand cheek ill ofthe work piece will be closer tothe corresponding nozzle 6| than the opposite cheek to itscorrespondingnozzle. The flow of air from nozzle ti will be restricted,and the mercury column in manometer tube I05 will be shifted to completea circuit between contacts III! and H4. This, in turn, will energizerelay M5 to complete a circuit to solenoid II8. Said solenoid, whenenergized, will shift valve I25 to the right against spring I52 anddirect fluid under pressure from pump I30 and line I3I throughline I50to the right-hand end of cylinder I22- to shift piston I2I, shaft I65,bracket I62 and wheel I6, along with nozzles GI and 62, to the left. Assoon as nozzle 6| has moved sufficiently to permit a freer escape of airandthus reduce the pressure in manometer tube I05, the mercury columnwill return to its normal position, opening the circuit between contactsIII! and I I4 and thereby deenergizing solenoid II8. Spring I52 willthen shift valve I25 to central position, thus stopping the movement ofpiston I2I with the sides of the grinding wheel It in exact alignmentwith the cheeks 8B and lllof the work piece. If carriage is moving fromleft to right, plunger 39 will drop into notch 38 with the left-handside of said notch adjacent the plunger. The work piece will be slightlyoff-center to the right, with the nozzle 62 close to the cheek til. Inthis case, the mercury column in manometer tube I06 will be shifted tocomplete a circuit between contacts I II and I52, energizing relay H5and sole noid III to shift valve I tothe left against spring I53.

Fluid under pressure from line I3I is directed by said valve throughline I5I to the left-hand end of cylinder I22. Piston I2I is thusshifted from left to right alon with shaft I65, bracket I 62, grindingwheel H5 and nozzles El and 62. When nozzle 62 has moved sufficiently todrop the pressure in manometer tube II'IG, the circuit through contactsII I and H2 is broken and valve I 25 returned to inoperative position byspring I53 to stop the movement of the grinding wheel in alignment withthe cheeks B0 and BI.

I claim:

1. In a grinding machine for successively grinding spaced cylindricalportions of a work piece, each having opposed shoulder or flangeportions, a grinding wheel, a work support, means for effecting arelative axial movement between said work and said wheel to successivelyposition said cylindrical portions and said grinding wheel, in cluding aspacing bar for one of said membersing said axial moving means to placesaid grind-' ing wheel and each of said portions of said work piecesuccessively in substantially exact alignment.

2.'In a grinding machine for successively grinding spaced cylindricalportions of a work piece, each having opposed shoulder or flangeportions, a wheel support, a rinding wheel rotatably mounted thereon, awork support, means for effecting a relative axial movement between saidWork and said Wheel means to effect said axial-movement intermittentlyto successively position said cylindrical portions and said grindingwheel successively in approximate operative relation, a work locatingdevice having means for cooperating with said shoulder portions fordetermining the relative position of said shoulder portions and saidgrinding wheel, and means actuated by said locating device forcontrolling said 3. In a grinding machine for successively" grindingspaced cylindrical portions of a work piece, each having opposedshoulders or flange portions, a wheel support, a grinding wheelrotatably mounted thereon, a work support, means for effecting relativeaxial movement between said work and said wheel to successively positionsaid cylindrical portions and said grinding wheel in operative relation,including a hydraulic motor attached to said work support, a reversingvalve for directing fluid under pressure to drive said motor alternatelyin opposite directions, means for positioning said work supportlongitudinally, including a spacing bar on one of said members and meansco-acting therewith to locate said cylindrical portions and saidgrinding wheelin approximate operative'relation, means adjacent saidshoulder portions for determining the relative axial position of saidportions and said grinding Wheel, and means actuated by'said determiningmeans when said shoulders and said grinding wheel are out ofalignment'for shifting said reversing valve and thus moving said worksup;

port to place said shoulders and saidgrinding wheel in alignment. e

4. In a grinding machine for successively grinding spaced cylindricalportions of a work piece, each having opposed shoulder or flangeportions, a wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted thereon, awork support, means for effecting relative axial movement between saidsupports, means to successively position said work support and saidgrinding wheel in approximate relation, means for effecting endwisemovement of said grinding wheel, including a motor, a reversing means todrive said motor alternately in opposite directions, means adjacent saidopposed shoulders for determining the relative axial positions of saidwork support and said grinding wheel, and means actuated by saiddetermining means when said work support and said grinding wheel are outof alignment for one of said porassume:

7 tions for shifting said reversing means and thus moving said wheelendwise to place said Work support and said grinding wheel in alignment.

.5, In a machine tool for machining spaced ilindrical portions of a workpiece, each having opposed shoulder portions, a work support, a toosupport, a cutting tool mounted thereon, means for effecting relativelongitudinal movement between said supports to successively positionsaid cylindrical portions and said cutting tool inoperative relation,including a spacing bar for one of said supports having spaced notchescorresponding to the portions to be ground, a' plunger for engaging saidnotches to position said supports in approximate operative relation, awork locating, device having means for cooperating with said shoulderportions, and means separate from said longitudinal moving means andactuated by said locating device to effect a precision adjustmentbetween said supports in each successive position thereof.

6. In a machine tool for machining spaced cylindrical portions of a workpiece, each having opposed shoulder portions, a work support, a toolsupport, a cutting tool mounted thereon, means for effecting relativelongitudinal movement between said supports to successively positionsaid cylindrical portions and said cutting tool in Op ative relation,including a spacing bar for one of said supports having spacednotchescorresponding to the portions to be ground, a plunger forengaging said notches to position saidsupports in approximate operativerelation for each of said portions, a work locating device having meansfor cooperating with said shoulder portions, and means actuated by saidlocating device to effect a precision adjustment of said tool relativeto said shoulders.

7. In a grinding machine for successively grindspaced cylindrical spacesof a work piece, each having opposed shoulders or flange portions, awheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably-mou-nted thereon, a worksupport, means for effectin relative axial movement. between said workand said wheel to successively position said cylindrical portions andsaid grinding wheel in operative relation, including a motor connectedto one of said supports, reversing means to drive said motor alternatelyin opposite directions, means for relatively positioning said worksupport and said wheel support longitudinally, including a spacin bar onone ofv said members and means co-acting therewith to locate each ofsaid cylindrical por tionsand said grinding wheel in approximate operative relation, means removably positioned in axially fixed relationwith said grinding wheel for determining the relative axial position-.of said shoulder portions and said grinding wheel, and

. 8 means actuated by said determining means'wbm said work: support andsaid grinding wheel are out of alignment for one of said portions, 1o!efi'ecting operation of said axial moving mean! to place said worksupport and said grindinz wheel in exact operative relation.

8. In a grinding machine for successively-grinding spaced. cylindricalportions of a work piece. each having opposed shoulders or flangeportions; a wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted thereon,va work support, means for e!- iecting relative axial movementl'netvveenv said work and said wheel, including a motor connected tosaid support, reversing means to drive said motor alternately inopposite directions, mean! for relatively positioning said work supportand said wheel support longitudinally, including a spacing bar on one ofsaid members and means co-acting therewith to locate said cylindricalportions and said grinding wheel in approximate operative relation.means removably positioned in cooperative relation with said shoulderportions for. determining the relative axial position of. said portionsand said grinding wheel, and means actuated by said determining meanswhen said work support and said grinding wheel are out of alignment fora specific portion of said work piece for eifecting operation ofsaidaxial moving means to place said work support and. said grindingwheel in exact operative relation.

9. In av grinding machine for successively grinding. spaced cylindricalportions of awork piece, each having. opposed shoulder or flangeportions. 3. wheel support, a grinding wheelrotatably mounted thereon, awork support, means for effecting a relative axial movement between saidwork andsaid wheel, means to effect said axial movement intermittentlyto successively position said cylindrical portions and. said grindingwheel inflapproximate operative relation, a work locating device havingmeans for cooperating with said shoulder portionsv for determining therelative position of said shoulder portions and said grinding wheel, andmeans actuated by said locating, device for placing said grinding wheeland each of said portions of said work piece in substantially exactalignment.

HAROLD E, BALSIGER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,264,160 Flygare et al. Nov. 25, 1941 2,284,606 Flygare eta1. May 26, 1942 3,.5i4.l56 athaway Mar. 6, 1951 2,559,131 Hollengreenet a1. July 3, 1951

